Latest Test and Measurement News

Low-Profile Oscilloscope for Rackmount Instrumentation

12 January 2018 – Tektronix announced the 5 Series MSO Low Profile oscilloscope for machine diagnostics and automated test (ATE) applications. Building on the success of the 5 Series MSO mixed signal oscilloscopes and innovations like FlexChannel technology and 12-bit ADCs (analog to digital converters), the new low profile instrument offers a best in class combination of channel density, performance and low-cost per channel at 1 GHz bandwidth.

Along with the new low-profile model, Tektronix also announced a series of optional power analysis and serial trigger/decode solutions for aerospace and automotive markets for the 5 Series MSO.

Rack-mounted oscilloscopes are commonly used to evaluate the performance of various “machines” in such application areas as high energy physics (pulsed power), military and government for weapons testing and materials research. Software is typically used to control the instrument remotely. As with ATE applications, engineers and researchers often struggle to put together cost-effective data acquisition solutions with enough performance and channels to better monitor their experiments and overcome space constraints.

“Among the many innovations in the 5 Series MSO, FlexChannel technology that packs 8 analog channels or up to 64 digital channels in a fraction of the space of traditional benchtop scopes truly stands out and delivers significant benefits for machine diagnostics and similar research and production test applications,” said Brian Ice, general manager, Mainstream Oscilloscopes, Tektronix. “Along the same lines, the 12-bit ADC is also a big win for customers because it allows them to obtain more complete, more accurate data that could someday lead to significant breakthroughs.”

The new 5 Series MSO Low Profile offers significant advantages compared to alternative solutions currently on the market, including:

More scope, less space – Conventional benchtop oscilloscopes used for machine diagnostics applications require 6U of rack space and yet provide only 4 input channels. The 5 Series MSO Low Profile completely changes the game with a 6x improvement in channel density made possible by its combination of 8 FlexChannel inputs and its robust, space-saving 2U package. It also comes with very competitive pricing of less than $5,000 per channel.

High performance -- With 1 GHz analog bandwidth, 6.25 GS/s sample rate on all channels, and 125 M record length, the 5 Series MSO Low Profile has the performance researchers and engineers need to capture accurate waveform data with high signal integrity.

High resolution -- With 12-bit ADCs, lower noise and a high 7.6-bit ENOB (effective number of bits), the 5 Series MSO Low Profile reveals deeper insight by showing more signal details compared to 8-bit oscilloscopes. The 12-bit ADCs provide 16 times the vertical resolution of traditional 8-bit ADCs, providing a larger dynamic range that allows users to measure small signal details riding on large signals.

Lab to production – The 5 Series MSO Low Profile is also well-suited for ATE applications where channel density and performance are critical. For these applications, engineers can start with the benchtop 5 Series MSO with its 15.6-in. HD touchscreen for development and then seamlessly transition to the compact, rack-friendly low-profile version in manufacturing. This also allows them to use the same software and test routines developed during R&D for manufacturing test applications, saving time and rack space.

Like all Tektronix oscilloscopes, the 5 Series MSO Low Profile is designed for the long haul. It employs a robust package, designed to strict standards for shake-and-shock, EMI/ESD immunity, and operating temperature range. In contrast to some solutions in this segment that are built as a one-off custom product with only one customer in mind, the 5 Series MSO Low Profile is built as a commercial product from a name brand that people trust for a wide range of industry needs.

Pricing and availability

Available for order now with deliveries starting in Q1 2018, the 5 Series MSO Low Profile is priced from $39,900 US MSRP.